Winter is full of so much wonder and cheer, as children leave out cookies for Santa, and we celebrate the passing of a new year, worldwide. Things may not seem so cheery for your landscape, as your plant material falls into dormancy, and general boredom hits. This is the downside of living in the Pittsburgh area, where the cold of the north cannot be avoided as it can in a more tropical climate. With most conventional means of landscaping not required nor possible, you may be looking for some ways to spice up your current property. In the midst of the cold, there are not a ton of options, but with our experience at Dream Greener, we know how to get creative. Looking beyond installations, and typical designs, here are four winter ideas for your luxury landscape.
For the Future: Evergreens
If you are wishing you had done something prior to the winter to spice up your landscape, keep this in mind for next year. While evergreens should not be planted in the winter, they are unique in their color retention year-round. It says it right in the name, you can expect bright green color out of these plants, no matter the temperature. Your landscape may lack some color this winter, as your ornamental and deciduous material dies off, but install evergreens in the spring, and never have this problem again.
All-Weather Hardscapes
When viewing the look of your property, your landscape only makes up one piece of the pie. The other very important piece is the hardscaping that can be found throughout your property. Connecting various areas of your landscape, walkways can be very functional in their design. Similarly, a new patio can be fantastic for hosting as the weather becomes warmer. Because the installation of a hardscape is not dependent on the weather, you should have an easier time getting on the schedule in the off-season.
Early Winter: Leaf Removal
Although less applicable the deeper into winter we go, leaves can be a landscaping issue if left unchecked. As the temperature drops in the fall, leaves begin to fall from the trees and cover your lawn. Not only is this an aesthetic issue, letting leaves pile up on your turf is not healthy for the turf or soil. Before winter begins, you can engage with Dream Greener to get your leaves removed and avoid the annoying job of raking and bagging leaves yourself.
Consider Berries and Bark
In the wintertime, you will inevitably be less reliant on colorful plant blooms to provide life to your landscape. The focus should shift to more winter-relevant methods of adding aesthetic appeal. Very unique to the season, berries are a place you can find both color and intrigue. Additionally, bark becomes more prominent, and many varieties of trees and shrubs have very interesting colors and patterns that can catch the attention of visitors. This should be something you think about when planting for the season, if that is the route you take.
Dream Greener Lawn & Landscape is led by a staff of service experts, each with ten years or more of professional experience, focused exclusively on lawn care & maintenance, landscaping and snow & ice management. We can help add these four winter ideas to your luxury landscape. Locally owned and operated, we are proud to serve the greater Pittsburgh area. Give us a call today at (412) 835-1035.
